This was originally going to be a solo piano album. The inspiration was partly the purchase of my full-sized grand, and the fact that after 40 years as a musician, I am finally starting to understand the instrument.

However, when Michael Manring agreed to record with me, my instrumental guitar pieces became what I wanted to explore. As time continued and my vision clarified, I realized there was a lot of chemistry between my piano and guitar pieces, and that recording with Michael was the perfect glue to hold it all together.

I've gone through many phases in my musical life: a keyboardist in a New York rock band, a singer-songwriter touring with my guitar which was never in standard tuning, a drummer supporting myself through college or later, playing with and recording found-sounds (such as on Shadowlands). But even though this is my 8th full-length album, it's the one that feels most natural.

The album is entitled Playing With Shadows because I'm playing with my own shadows: historically I've had